Amazon has announced its intentions to expand its drone delivery service to the United Kingdom and Italy by late next year, in addition to a third US state, as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the speed of order fulfillment.
During a marketing event, the Seattle-based e-commerce giant revealed plans for this expansion and introduced new warehouse robots and technologies.
At present, Amazon’s drone delivery service is operational in California and Texas.
The company is introducing a new MK30 model capable of operating in more challenging weather conditions compared to its current drones, as highlighted by Amazon Prime Air’s Vice President, David Carbon.
Jason Patrao, Prime AI’s Director of Engineering, emphasized the demand for faster deliveries, stating that this drone program, though currently modest in scale, is expected to become a routine part of the service.
Amazon has implemented a new robotics system, named Sequoia, in one of its logistics centers in Texas.
This system incorporates automated vehicles, gantry cranes, mechanical arms, computer vision technology, and ergonomic workstations for employees.
The objective is to enhance interoperability between various machines within the warehouses, with Amazon already employing 750,000 robots.
Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics’ Chief Technologist, stated that blending multiple robotics systems with human workers results in a transformative synergy.
Sequoia, in particular, is capable of identifying and stocking items in warehouses up to 75% faster than previous methods, with potential reductions of 25% in order processing times.
This improvement in efficiency allows Amazon to list items on Amazon.com more rapidly, benefitting both sellers and customers.
Although traditional brick-and-mortar stores still constitute approximately 80% of the retail business, experts predict that sales will shift more towards online platforms as customers increasingly prioritize fast delivery.
Insider Intelligence analyst Andrew Lipsman explained that as Amazon improves its delivery capabilities, it further strengthens its position within the e-commerce market.
The online retail giant initially became a crucial resource for many during the pandemic but has recently faced intensified competition from Chinese e-commerce apps.